Joined for the skinny on investing in slabbed Morgans...

Toned?
VAM?
DPML?
PL?
Commons?
Keys?
Sleepers?
MS63, 64, or 65's?

What would you guys have to tell a guy who bought a common date MS-63 today along with 4 Gem BU raw Morgans today. I want my short-term investment to be bullion and I would like to use slabbed Morgans for the long term, but I'm not too sure how to go about this. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

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Honestly, There's no really wrong way to invest in morgans. Commons, not such a good idea unless you want to invest in bullion with a good premium, a stable premium but it mainly is worth silver+some. Other's, such as High grade MS morgans stay in value and don't plunge when silver goes down, or atleast not near as much. No really sleepers in morgans, tbh. Key's/PL/DMPL/Toners (especially them rainbows can be amazing!) and High grades will give you a good coin investment IMO, but I won't pick a particular one, since A) I dunno, and nobody does and B) Pick what you like best. It only makes logical sense, and you will appreciate the coins more.

 

Also, don't forget about CC Morgans.

 

I'm interested in graded DPML and Toned MS Morgans. I think I'll stick to what I like. I cant see the premium on DPML/Toned Morgans losing premium...I mean, the toning is done and so is the striking...making both archetypes limited. At least, that's my take...but I'm in infantile stages with Morgans.

 

with most high quality rare us coinage, the premium is within the coin market as a whole and the demand/supply of the piece, and many people want morgans, very popular series. For price-wise, I only see morgans going up higher and higher.

 

The best way to go about this is to read, read, read and learn, learn, learn while all the time having a passion for numismatics.

 

Check...

 

I'm thinking fun/put stuff away for 50 years for my 5 and 7 year olds. Mutual funds-check- bullion-check- property-check. Just looking at slabbed Morgans for a FUN way to diversify.

 

Buy the book before the coin comes to mind . And there are a lot of books on Morgans some better than others , anyway you do it educate yourself . Joining a forum is a great step . When I 1st joined I thought I knew a lot , but the 1st thing I learned was how much I didn't know . Now 7 years later I know quite a bit more , but still have a long way to go . That's one of the great things about this hobby is there's always more to learn .

 

if you are doing it for long term investment buy Keys, DMPL, PL, toned Morgans... the easiest way to figure that out is... what coins do you think people will find attractive in the far future ? I think it's all about eye appeal. If you are doing it for fun... buy what YOU like.... you will enjoy it so much more.
there are so many Morgan dollar collectors here to ask. I collect mostly world coins.
I agree with rzage... buy a good book on Morgan Dollars. welcome to CT.

 

Investment and coins should never be used in the same sentence. Unless your dealing with 6 figure coins and buy right, you maybe can stay infront of inflation.

Common ms 63 is far from investment quality. 67's maybe.

 

Coin investments in general are a bad idea unless you REALLY know what you are doing. MS63-MS65 Morgans have been the same price (within a couple bucks) for 5+ years... Not the area I'd be looking in for sure...

 

For a rude wake-up call, take a look at high-grade coin prices from the mid-80's to present. There was a huge bubble around 1990, and many (most?) prices still haven't recovered back to that level.

Also, keep in mind that toning is a dynamic chemical process -- "the toning is done" isn't really true. If you do anything wrong when storing your coins, that toning can "advance" to something that nobody will want.

 

Thanks for the advice gents. Certainly all good info. Being corrected/directed in different directions is exactly why I joined the forum. Thanks a bunch again.

 

I agree with other esteemed colleagues here. Coin collecting is a hobby, it should be treated as such. Any money spent over melt value is "hobby money". There is a place for precious metal in a diversified portfolio, but morgan dollars are collectible, not bulk silver.

Now, having said that, is coin collecting a great hobby? You betcha. We do have a "residual value" when we are done unlike many other hobbies. However, due tot he buy/sell spread, I have always maintained you should never put "investment" money in collectible coins, only money you can afford to lose on your hobby. How I view it, I get all of the value out of my coins as my enjoyment. The fact my heirs will inherit a pretty sizable coin collection, with fairly sizable value, is a bonus to them, not me.

 

I may end up with an enemy or two from this post, but I think VAMs have a poor long-term future.

Think of the original poster's 5 and 7 year olds. They will grow up with quarters in pocket change having a different reverse. There will be some pennies and nickels with alternate reverses. If we ever eliminate the dollar bill and the dollar coins gain in popularity those will also have different presidents on them and the Sacajawea dollars have different reverses every year now too.

Will those 5 and 7 year olds and their classmates care about microscopic differences between two coins? I doubt it. I'm not even sure date/mintmark variety will be different enough for them to care.

And on the popularity of Morgans in general, what will be interesting is how a mature series of Silver Eagles with much more distinctive varieties (proof/reverse proof/enhanced/burnished) might pull interest away from Morgans in the future. Keep in mind that the 5 year old will consider a 1986 Silver Eagle to be an old coin when he is an adult the same way I consider a 1940s dime to be an old coin.

 

Maybe "investment" is not the correct term, but I think you can combine "collecting" coins and "putting aside" money.

I only buy a coin when it matches at least one of your listed categories. Just today I have received a nicely toned (that's #1) CC-Morgan (#2 Carson City). Still need to check the VAM variety (#3?), what could make this Morgan even more special to me and other collectors.

 

Here is a thread I wrote a while ago for new Morgan collectors. I hope you find it helpful, as I have been collecting them for many years:

http://www.cointalk.com/threads/som...n-dollars-for-those-new-to-the-series.244529/